Southwest's Goldberg and Weber told staff that if an employee's request for exemption is denied, the employee can reapply if the employee "has new information or circumstances it would like the Company to consider." "Southwest acknowledges various viewpoints regarding the Covid-19 vaccine, and we have always supported, and will continue to support, our employees' right to express themselves, with open lines of communication to share issues and concerns," she said. Hundreds of Southwest employees, customers and other protesters demonstrated Monday against the vaccine mandate outside Southwest Airlines' headquarters in Dallas, The Dallas Morning News reported.Īn airline spokeswoman said the carrier is aware of the demonstration. 24, urging an alternative to the mandate such as regular testing, warning the mandate "could result in labor shortages and create serious operational problems for American Airlines and its peers." The Allied Pilots Association, which represents American's roughly 14,000 pilots, wrote to the White House and several key lawmakers on Sept. "We need our entire team to run the airline in 2022 and beyond and are not looking to reduce headcount." "We want all of our team members to be vaccinated so they can continue working at American," it said. It is not planning voluntary leaves or early retirement packages for those who choose not to get vaccinated. Those workers could have to follow certain protocols, like wearing a mask and providing regular health declarations, however.Īmerican also told staff to apply for exemptions as soon as possible, writing in an internal staff post about the mandate that the "process to review all requests will take time, as we want to ensure we give full consideration to all requests."Ĭhoosing not to be vaccinated and not receiving an exemption may still result in termination, American said. The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline confirmed to employees Tuesday that they can continue to work if they are granted an exemption or if their exemption requests are still being reviewed. "They failed to offer any specifics as to what such accommodations might look like at that time." Some employees sued the company over the unpaid leave, and a federal judge in Fort Worth, Texas, has temporarily blocked the airline from going forward with its plan.Īmerican's CEO, Doug Parker, spoke with labor union leaders on Thursday to discuss vaccine exemptions.Īmerican Airlines management "indicated that, unlike the approach taken by United, they were exploring accommodations that would allow employees to continue to work," the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, the union that represents American's mainline cabin crews, said in a note to members Monday. More than 96% of its staff is vaccinated. United had told staff that they would be put on unpaid leave if they received exemptions. United Airlines implemented its own vaccine mandate in August, a month before the government rules were announced. Southwest confirmed the policy change, which comes just weeks before the deadline. 8, they could continue to work while following mask and distancing guidelines until the request has been reviewed. Southwest's senior vice president of operations and hospitality, Steve Goldberg, and Julie Weber, vice president and chief people officer, wrote to staff on Friday that if employees' requests for an exemption haven't been approved by Dec. Pilots' labor unions have sought to block the mandates or sought alternatives such as regular testing. The airlines are expected to face more questions about the mandate when they report quarterly results Thursday morning. Rules for federal contractors are stricter than those expected from the Biden administration for large companies, which will allow for regular Covid testing as an alternative to a vaccination.Įxecutives at both carriers in recent days have tried to reassure employees about job security under the mandate, urging them to apply for exemptions if they can't get vaccinated for a medical reason or for a sincerely held religious belief. Personal Loans for 670 Credit Score or Lower Personal Loans for 580 Credit Score or Lower Best Debt Consolidation Loans for Bad Credit
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